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(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen 1.

A. R. NELLIS.

CURRENT WHEEL. No. 331,996. Patented Deo. 8, 1885.

WITJVE'SSES 1N VENTOR Attorney;

N. PETERS. Phnwuxmgnpher. wnhmgmn. D4 (l (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. R. NELLIS.

, CURRENT WHEEL.

No. 31,996. Patented Dec. 8, 1885.

42M y w/TW WEMJWEW .Attorney l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAM R. NELLIS, OF GLENNS FERRY, IDAHO TERRITORY.

CURRENT-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,996I dated December 8I 1885.

Application filed July 25, 1885. Serial No. 172,668. (-No model.)

To all whoml it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ABRAM R. NELLIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glenns Ferry,in the county of Alturas and Territory of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CurrentWVheels, of which the following is a specidcatiomreference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in water-elevators, being specially designed to be used in connection with mining operations, and constructed to be actuated by the natural current of a stream.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which similar letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding features, Figure l represents an elevation looking toward the front of my improved machine, showing a part of the frame-work in vertical section 5 and Fig. 2, a plan view of the machine.

The letter A designates a mud-sill adapted to rest upon the bottom of the stream, and to which are attached any suitable number of uprights, B, connected together at their upper ends by a beam, C. Fitted to and secured upon the beam O are the cross-timbers D at one end, the other end being supported upon the structure E, constructed, preferably, of boards and braced in the corners by timbers F. From this structure is built in the direction of the head of the stream a dedectingwall, G, constructed, preferably, of boards, and which acts to direct a portion of the water toward the current-Wheel, presently to be described, so as to increase the volume of the water at that point. Mounted in suitable bearings attached to the timbers D is a shaft, H, the position of which is in the same direction as the line of the current. This shaft is provided with blades or dukes I, which may be cast with the shaft or made separately from it and attached thereto.

In some instances the shaft may be constructed of wood, and the dukes of wood or metal and secured thereto.

The peculiarity of this wheel is in the position of the blades with respect to the shaft in Fig. 2. The object of this construction is to prevent a gap occurring between the radial edges of the dukes and to insure the constant action of the water-current. The dukes with respect to each other are, furthermore, ob-

liquely disposed-that is, one duke is placed 6o slightly diagonal to the shaft in one direction, and the other duke slightly diagonal to the shaft in the other direction. spiral contour, and therefore winds spirally on the shaft, after the fashion of a wormscrew. These dukes can be of such position with respect to the shaft as to cause the wheel to rotate in either the one or the other direction when the current is passing down in the direction of the arrow (see Fig. 2) against them, for it will be understood that the structure is anchored firmly upon the bed of the stream. The shaft H is further provided with a pulley, over which passes a belt, J.

The letter K designates two upwardlyex tending beams, secured at their lower ends to the beams D and the braces L, and connected together at their upper ends by a timber, M. These several pieces form a frame, which eX- tends up alongside of and somewhat over the bank ofthe stream,and is braced by the braces N ,and carries a roller, O. The braces L, which serve to brace the beams D of the sill A, carry a similar roller, P, and over these rollers pass one or more elevating-belts, Q, provided with a succession of water-buckets, R, while over the roller O also passes a drive-belt, J. By this means it will be observed that when rotation is imparted to the current-Wheel by the action of the water-current the buckets will be caused to take up water and carry it up to the roller O, and discharge the same upon the embankment or into a sluiceway or other structure adapted to receive the water.

Besides the usefulness of the machine for elevating water for use in connection with mining operations, it is useful to water the soil for agricultural purposes.

Each duke is of Having thus fully described my invention, the upper end of the overhanging portion and 1o what I claim as new, and desire to secure by the other in the frame proper, the belt, and Letters Patent, is the buckets secured thereto,

' In a Water-elevator, the frame having a eur- In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 5 rent-Wheel mounted therein,and a deleetingpresence of two Witnesses.

Wall extending upstream and at an angle to ABRAM R. NELLIS.

the current, and another portion which eX- lW'itnesses:

tends up to and overhangs the embankment C. C. GLENN,

of the stream, the rollers mounted the one in GUSTAVUS P. GLENN. 

